Inductive faucet of which a detection range is adjustable

ABSTRACT

An inductive faucet of which a detection range is adjustable is provided, in which two transmitter units, one receiver unit, and one controller unit are arranged on a faucet body. The controller unit is used to automatically adjust the strength of signal transmitted by the transmitter unit for obtaining a preferable detection range; thus, the incorrect judgment rate may decrease significantly and further power waste caused by the extremely long detection range may be avoided. Particularly, regarding the inductive faucet provided with a battery used as a power source, the battery life may even be prolonged and the frequency of battery replacement may decrease.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an inductive faucet of which a detection rangeis adjustable.

2. Description of the Prior Art

With reference to FIG. 1 illustrating a conventional inductive faucet, afaucet body 3 is fixed onto a washbasin 1 of a trough 2. A water outlet4 is formed at the top of faucet body 3. At the bottom of faucet body 3,an infrared inductive device 5 is provided facing toward the front ofwashbasin 1. The inductive device 5 continuously transmits a horizontalsignal toward the front of washbasin 1, and the transmit power ofinductive device 5 is controlled, thus making the detection ranger to belarger than the path along which the faucet body 3 yields water and tobe smaller than the front edge of trough 2. Thus, when a user's hand isclose to the faucet body 3, a signal reflects. At this time, theinductive device 5 receives the reflecting signal to turn ON a watersupply switch and the water outlet 4 of faucet body 3 starts to yieldwater for achievement of the automatic water yielding control.

However, the conventional inductive faucet detects the signal from thebottom of faucet body toward the front of washbasin 1, so the user mustmove his or her hands to a higher level to enable the inductive device 5to control the water yielding, which not only makes a big splash duringwashing, but also makes the user's dress to be squirted with water.Accordingly, refer to FIG. 2 illustrating another conventional inductivefaucet solving the issue. The inductive device 5 is arranged at a wateroutlet 4 near the faucet body 3. The inductive device 5 detects signalstoward the bottom of trough 2 and continuously receives the signalsreflecting from the bottom of trough 2. Thus, when the user's hand isclose to the faucet body 3, the inductive device 5 receives a strongersignals than that reflecting from the bottom of trough 2; when thesignal are larger than the default value obtained from the inductivedevice 5, the water supply switch is enabled to yield water. However,the defect may be solved for improvement, because the distance from theinductive device 5 to the bottom of trough 2 is short, the strength ofsignal is not easily controlled for adjustment of the detection range.When the detection range is extremely short, the induction fails andthen no water is yielded; when the detection range is extremely long,the power is easily consumed and the failure is easily caused, whichmakes water to be continuously yielded and thus many water resources tobe wasted. Thus, it is apparent that improvement is necessarily made.

Consequently, because of the technical defects of described above, theapplicant keeps on carving unflaggingly through wholehearted experienceand research to develop the present invention, which can effectivelyimprove the defects described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An inductive faucet that may adjust a detection range according to thisinvention is provided, in which a faucet body is mainly arranged on awashbasin provided with a trough. A water outlet is formed at the top offaucet body and a PCB is arranged around the water outlet. On the PCB,two transmitter units, one receiver unit, and a controller unit areprovided. Thus, the controller unit may control the transmitter units totransmit a signal toward the bottom side of washbasin, and detect thestrength of signal reflected from the bottom side of trough through thereceiver unit. When the signal strength is lower than the default, thesetting of transmitter unit is kept and thus the standby mode enters;contrarily, when the strength of reflected signal is larger than thedefault value, the controller unit re-transmit the lower signaltransmitted by the transmitter unit and then re-detect the reflectedsignal through the receiver unit. The steps are repeated until thestrength of signal is lower than the default value, making the inductivefaucet defect the signal in a preferable range. Thus, the incorrectjudgment rate may decrease significantly and further power waste causedby the extremely long detection range may be avoided. Particularly,regarding the inductive faucet provided with a battery used as a powersource, the battery life may even be prolonged and the frequency ofbattery replacement may decrease.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the operation of a conventionalinductive faucet;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the operation of anotherconventional inductive faucet;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an inductive faucet according to thisinvention in a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a PCB according to this invention;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the PCB according to this invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the operation of inductive faucet according tothis invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating the inductive faucet accordingto this invention starting to automatically adjust its detection range;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the inductive faucet accordingto this invention that finishes automatically adjusting its detectionrange;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating the use of this invention;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of another operation of inductive faucetaccording to this invention; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating the inductive faucet accordingto this invention that finishes re-adjusting its detection range.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now, the present invention will be described more specifically withreference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that thefollowing descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention arepresented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it isnot intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise formdisclosed.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 as a perspective view of an inductivefaucet 100 in preferred embodiment of the present invention, and a frontview of a PCB 30, the inductive faucet 100 is essentially provided witha faucet body 10. The faucet body 10 is fixed onto a washbasin 20provided with a trough 21. A water outlet 11 is formed at the top offaucet body 10 and the PCB 30 is arranged near the water outlet 11. Withcross-reference to FIG. 4, two transmitter units 31, one receiver unit32, an alarm 33, and a controller unit 34 are provided on the PCB 30.

The transmitter units 31 are infrared transmitters and arrangedseparately at the upper and lower sides of PCB 30. The transmitter units31 transmit a signal toward the bottom side of trough 21 of thewashbasin 20 through a path where the water outlet 11 of faucet body 10yields water. Further, the directions in which the transmitter units 31transmit the signal form an included angle, as shown in FIG. 5, and thusthe accuracy and detection range may increase effectively and theincorrect judgment rate is lowered.

The receiver unit 32 is an infrared receiver arranged on a site near thecenter of PCB 30 to receive the signal reflected from the bottom side oftrough 21.

The alarm 33 is a LED warning lamp arranged near the receiver unit 32 onthe PCB 30.

The controller unit 34 is a microprocessor arranged near the receiverunit 32 on the PCB 30. The controller unit 34 is connected to thetransmitter units 31, the receiver unit 32,and the alarm 33.

With reference to FIG. 6 as a flow chart illustrating the operation ofinductive faucet according to the present invention, and with crossreference to FIG. 6, at the time of start for the first time, thecontroller unit 34, as shown in FIG. 7, controls the transmitter units31 to transmit a signal toward the bottom side of trough 21 of thewashbasin 20, and detect the strength of signal reflected from thebottom side of trough 21 through the receiver unit 32. When the signalstrength is lower than the default value, the setting of transmitterunit is kept and thus the standby mode enters; contrarily, when thestrength of reflected signal is larger than the default value, theadjustment mode enters and the controller unit 34 starts to adjust forlowering the strength of transmit from the transmitter unit 31. In theembodiment, by shortening the width of pulse transmitted by thetransmitter unit 31, the controller unit 34 shortens the time oftransmit from the transmitter unit 31 and then re-transmits the signaltransmitted by the transmitter unit and after the adjustment, the unitre-transmits the signal, and the receiver unit 32 is used to re-detectthe strength of reflected signal. The steps are repeated until thestrength of signal is lower than the default value. Further, if thecontroller unit 34 cannot adjust the transmission power of transmitterunit 31, it enables the alarm 33 to flash to give a warning to a user.Thus, it makes the inductive faucet 100 detect the signal in apreferable range, as shown in FIG. 8, the incorrect judgment rate maydecrease significantly, and further power waste caused by the extremelylong detection range may be avoided. Particularly, regarding theinductive faucet provided with a battery used as a power source, thebattery life may even be prolonged and the frequency of batteryreplacement may decrease.

With reference to FIG. 9 as a schematic view illustrating the operationof the present invention, and with cross reference to FIG. 4, in thestandby mode, to use the inductive faucet 100, the user has his/herhands to be close to the washbasin 20, making the hands to be in a rangewhere the inductive faucet 100 detect. At this time, the receiver unit32 receives a reflected signal higher than the default value andtransmits it back to the controller unit 34 to enable the water savingmode, and thus the controller unit 34 turns ON the water supply switchto yield water, and turns it OFF after 30 seconds. Thus, it avoidscontinuous water output caused by the incorrect judgment, and waterresource waste. To keep using the inductive faucet 100, the user isrequired to only have his/her hands move out and then to be again closeto the inductive faucet 100, and water is supplied again.

With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 as a schematic view illustratinganother operation of the present invention, and a flow chartillustrating the operation of inductive faucet, and with cross referenceto FIG. 4, in the standby mode, when an object 200 is left behind andplaced in the trough 21, the inductive faucet 100 enters the watersaving mode and, after water is yielded for 30 seconds, water yieldingstops. Then, when the object 200 is removed from the trough 21 in 10seconds, the inductive faucet 100 returns to the standby mode;contrarily, when the object 200 still stays in the trough 21 after 10seconds, the inductive faucet 100 enters the trouble-shooting mode andenables the controller unit 34 to increase the default value of receiverunit 32, making the default value to be higher than the reflectedsignal, renewing the detection range as shown in FIG. 11, and thuskeeping the inductive faucet 100 working. Next, when the object 200 isremoved from the trough 21, the controller unit 34 re-sets the receiverunit 32 to the default value and enters the standby mode.

While the invention has been described in terms of what is presentlyconsidered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is tobe understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosedembodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadestinterpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similarstructures.

1. An inductive faucet of which a detection range is adjustable,essentially comprising: a faucet body fixed onto a washbasin providedwith a trough, and having at least one water outlet; at least twotransmitter units arranged on the faucet body, in which the transmitterunits transmit a signal toward the bottom side of trough of thewashbasin through a path where the water outlet of faucet body yieldswater; at least one receiver unit arranged on the faucet body to receivethe signal reflected from the bottom side of trough; and at least onecontroller unit arranged on the faucet body and connected to thetransmitter units and the receiver unit to control the transmitter unitsto transmit a signal toward the bottom side of washbasin, and detect thestrength of signal reflected from the bottom side of trough through thereceiver unit, in which when the signal strength is lower than thedefault, the setting of transmitter unit is kept and thus the standbymode enters; contrarily, when the strength of reflected signal is largerthan the default value, the controller unit re-transmit the lower signaltransmitted by the transmitter unit and then re-detect the reflectedsignal through the receiver unit, and the steps are repeated until thestrength of signal is lower than the default value, making the inductivefaucet detect the signal in a preferable range.
 2. The inductive faucetof which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 1, whereina PCB is arranged on the faucet body and the transmitter units, thereceiver unit, and the controller unit are provided on the PCB.
 3. Theinductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according toclaim 1, wherein the transmitter units are infrared transmitters.
 4. Theinductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according toclaim 1, wherein the directions in which the transmitter units transmitthe signal form an included angle.
 5. The inductive faucet of which thedetection range is adjustable according to claim 1, wherein the receiverunit is an infrared receiver.
 6. The inductive faucet of which thedetection range is adjustable according to claim 1, wherein thecontroller unit adjusts the pulse width of signal transmitted by thetransmitter units for the strength of transmitted signal.
 7. Theinductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according toclaim 2, wherein an alarm is provided on the PCB and is enabled to warna user when the controller unit cannot adjust the transmission power oftransmitter unit.
 8. The inductive faucet of which the detection rangeis adjustable according to claim 7, wherein the alarm is a LED warninglamp and flashes to give a warning to the user.
 9. The inductive faucetof which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 1, whereinthe inductive faucet inclusively operates in a water saving mode, andwhen an object is in the trough where the inductive faucet detects inthe detection range, the inductive faucet enables the controller unit toturn ON a water supply switch to yield water, and then turn it OFF aftera period of time.
 10. The inductive faucet of which the detection rangeis adjustable according to claim 9, wherein when the faucet body stopyielding water and the object is not yet removed from the trough, theinductive faucet enters the trouble-shooting mode and then renews thepreferable detection range through the controller unit adjusting thedefault value of receiver unit.